Range construction



P 7, 1968 A. w. VONDERHAAW 3,402,281

' RANGE CONSTRUCTION I Filed Oct. 8, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. iEzg, i ARTHUR w. VONDERHAAR ATTORNEYS Sept. 17, 1968 A. w. VOND'ERHAAR RANGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 8, 1965 n I I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VE N'TOR.

ARTHUR W. VONDE RHAAR 6 %,m am

A T TORWEYS Sept. 17, 1968 Filed Oct. 8, 1965 RANGE CONSTRUCT ION 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Sept. 7, 1968 A. w VONDERHAAR 3,402,281

RANGE CONSTRUCT ION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 8. 1965 m ma E D m WV w R U H T R A ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,402,281 RANGE CONSTRUCTION Arthur W. Vonderhaar, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to The Tappan Company, Mansfield, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 494,037 12 Claims. (Cl. 219-408) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A free-standing range having a platform base supporting an oven liner and outwardly spaced exterior panels, and a cook top which interconnects the back exterior panel and the top front of the liner. Insulation is wrapped about the liner and compressed against the same by wire netting to leave air circulating passages at the sides having bottom inlets and outlets to the interior of the cook top. Controls are at the front of the top and cooled by ducting including a flue at the back of the oven and a conduit extending to the controls, with wiring for the latter enclosed by the ducting.

The present invention relates, as indicated, to range construction and, more particularly, to an improved assembly for a free-standing domestic cooking range.

The art most directly concerned with mechanical designs for contemporary free-standing domestic ranges, without regard to whether these be equipped for electric or gas operation, has developed in one direction to the provision of a high quality range of heavy and durable construction. In this class of design, the structural assembly is based on a fabricated frame made of fairly heavy stock and of a selected appropriate configuration to support most, if not all, of the incorporated sub-assemblies, components, parts, and decorative pieces which together form the complete appliance. Ranges made in accordance with this design approach are, as indicated, very strong and practically trouble-free as far as basic structural formation is concerned, but this development has been burdened with increasing costs and, as a result, ranges constructed in this manner have become quite expensive and form a definite relatively high priced category of presently available ranges.

There has also been development of the art in almost the opposite direction to the provision of a low cost, more widely economically available kitchen range, but these efforts to the extent known in relation to the present improvements are believed generally to have provided reduction in manufacturing costs only at considerable sacrifice of quality of the product. In some respects, the process development seems to have involved nothing more than elimination of parts as a means of simplification, with corresponding loss of function and advantage, and this type of evolution can easily lead to flimsily constructed ranges which would be questionable investments for homemakers even at the low costs which might be realized. It is, for example, possible to approach an inexpensive mechanical design for a range by starting, in effect, with the above-noted heavy frame type of construction and consider elimination of the more costly parts found therein, with the most obvious step toward this type of simplification being the elimination of the frame or separate chassis itself. This step would indeed result in considerable savings of manufacturing expense, but there would be left only the shell made up of, for example, the cabinet panels, the oven liner, and the surface element top box, which would have to be interconnected so as to stand together alone without the usual frame. It is doubted that even the addition of a brace here and there in this frameless "ice shell would be adequate to provide a commercially acceptable assembly of even intermediate but good quality.

The present improvements, on the other hand, have resulted from an effort to provide a free-standing range construction in which both the manufacturers desire to hold down costs and the purchasers need for product reliability and quality can be realized. The invention sought to and does provide a basically new structural formation for such a range distinguishable, on the one hand, from the result of a parts elimination type of simplification of the heavy frame type structures and, on the other hand, the mechanical design which might result from adding stilfeners and the like to impart added strength to the indicated frameless type assembly.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a construction for a free-standing domestic range having an inner core of unique configuration and, in

part, serving an operational space defining as well as load structure function.

Another object is to provide such a range construction in which an outer shell is formed and supported by the non-operational space defining part of said core about the remaining core part, with the latter, however, having rigidifying interconnection with the shell.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a range assembly in which the oven is insulated in a new, economical and improved manner to reduce heat transfer to the exterior of the range. A further object is the provision of convective circulation of ambient air substantially fully through the range for cooling effect. Another related object is to provide a cooling flow of air against a control panel located at the top front of the range.

It is another object of the present improvements to pro- -vide in such a range assembly duct means for establishing a flow of cooling air therein and in such disposition as to serve also to enclose supply and control connections to the surface units for protection and clean mechanical design in this respect.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention Will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the range constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the range, with the cook top surface being broken in certain areas and the back guard removed to expose the ducts by means of which the front control panel can be cooled by ambient air;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the range of the invention, with the oven and utility compartment doors being removed to expose the oven interior, and sections being broken away to expose the interior construction of the range;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded isometric view showing the various range components.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, wherein like parts are indicated by like reference numerals, and initially to the perspective view of the range of the invention as shown in FIG. 1, the range components there visible include a base 10, a decorative side panel 11, a cook top 12 and a backguard 13. Although not visible in FIG. 1, a side panel similar to panel 11 is disposed at the opposite side of the range, and the back of the range is enclosed as well. The range in the form shown is electric, and four surface heating elements commonly designated at 14 are removably mounted in the cook top 12. A control panel assembly generally indicated at 15 is mounted at the front of the cook top 12 and a series of control knobs commonly designated at 16 are provided for controlling the surface elements 14 and the electric heating elements mounted in the oven cavity 17, the lower or main oven heating unit being shown at 18. The interior of the oven comprises the noted oven cavity 17 and a lower utility section adapted to receive a pull-out utility drawer 19. A bottom hinged oven door 20 which forms no part of the present invention is mounted for Swinging movement between a horizontal, open position and a vertical, closed position. An oven rack glide unit 21 is mounted near each of the interior side walls of the oven to vertically adjustably receive rack 22 which functions to support items to be cooked or broiled in the oven in a well-known manner. A removable kickplate 23 is mounted at the front of the base 10 for the usual purpose. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the range thus far described resembles a conventional range of this general type, and the above description has accordingly been made rather brief and is intended only to provide a general background in order to afford a full understanding of the present improvements.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, and particularly to FIG. 5 which shows the major range components in exploded perspective view, the base 10 is of generally shallow inverted U-shape comprising a flat top surface 24 and depending, floor-engaging leg portions 25 and 26 at the opposed sides thereof. Downwardly depending ribs 27 are formed in the base for rigidifying the same, and gusset plates commonly designated at 28 are provided preferably at each corner, both front and rear, of the base for similarly rigidifying the base member. The gusset plates 28 are preferably welded to the inwardly and downwardly turned flanges formed at each end of the top and leg portions 24 and 25, 26, respectively, of the base. The front kickplate 23 can be mounted on the 'base by means of fasteners or the like commonly designated at 29, with inwardly directed flange portions of the respective legs 25 and 26 being apertured as indicated at 30 for receiving the same. The front kickplate is provided with a series of elongated openings 31 to permit entry of air at the forward bottom area of the range, The kickplate also includes a laterally directed top flange 32 which may if desired also be fastened to the base 10.

The base 10 has formed in the top section 24 thereof a plurality of openings comprising groups designated at 33, 34 and 35. The groups of openings 33 and 34 are formed relatively adjacent the sides of the top section 24 of the base 10, and the group 35 is formed relatively adjacent the rear of the base 10.

Mounted on the base 10 is a liner assembly generally indicated at which comprises side liner members 41 and 42 and a generally L-shaped back and top liner member 43 having a top section 44 and a back section 45. The side liners 41 and 42 are formed with bottom flanges 46 which contact the base 10 and which are formed with a plurality of openings commonly designated at 47 aligned with complemental openings commonly designated at 48 formed in the top section 24 of the base for Securely mounting the side liners thereto. The back section is similarly formed with a flat, laterally extending flange 49 at the bottom thereof which is suitably apertured for securely mounting the back and top liner member 43 to the base 10.

Each side liner member 41 and 42 is formed at the front end thereof with a laterally directed flange 50 and a rearwardly directed flange 51 normal thereby and extending parallel to the plane of the respective side liner. The side liners are spaced and rigidified by a channel 4 I stiffener member 52 having flat opposite end portions 53 and 54 which overlie the front flanges 50 of the side members and are spot welded or otherwise secured thereto.

The top liner section 44, referring to FIG. 4, is formed adjacent the front thereof with a vertical flange 55 and a forwardly directed, horizontal flange 56. When the side liners 41 and 42 and the back and top liner member 43 are assembled, the vertical flange 55 of the latter is vertically coextensive with the front flanges 50 of the side liners 41 and 42, and generally L-shaped gusset plates 57 and 58 are provided which extend along and in contact with the rear faces of these respective flanges. The gusset plates 57 and 58 can be spot welded thereby to provide a rigid, generally inverted U-shaped front frame assembly. The back liner section 45 and side liners 41 and 42 are also rigidly connected at their juncture by means of flanges 60 formed at opposite sides of the back section 45. When assembled, these flanges lie contiguous the side liners and are spot welded thereto.

The side liner members 41 and 42 are additionally formed with laterally outwardly directed top flanges 63 and 64 the lateral edges of which are coterminous with the opposite side edges of the top liner section 44. These vertically overlying coterminous sections can be connected in any manner, for example by spot welding. It will thus be seen that the side liners 41 and 42 and the back and top liner member 43 are rigidly interconnected at each juncture. The liner members are in turn rigidly attached to the base 10 to effectively form therewith a core assembly which serves a load supporting function and defines operational and non-operational space respectively within and exteriorly of the liner assembly. It will further be seen that the basic range construction readily permits changes in the width of the range, with only the base 10 and the back and top liner member 43 requiring replacement by units of different desired widths to accommodate such width variation.

The side liner members 41 and 42 are formed relatively adjacent the bottoms thereof with a series of vent openings commonly designated at 66 which permits entry of ambient air inwardly of the liner members upwardly along the sides thereof for cooling effect and to the oven cavity, the latter such provision adapting the range construction for gas operation. The side liners 41 and 42 are further formed with a series of punched out detents 67 above the openings 66 for a purpose which will also be made apparent as the description proceeds. The front flanges 50 of each side liner member 41 and 42 are formed with vertically elongated slots 68 and 69, respectively, for receiving the oven door cam members of a removable oven door mounting assembly which forms no part of the present invention.

The liner assembly 40 is enclosed in spaced relation by a shell which includes the above described exterior side panels 11 and a back panel 72, which panels are independently mounted on the base 10. The back panel 72 comprises a main section 73 and outwardly and rearwardly flared side sections 74. The back panel is further formed, similarly to the side members 41 and 42, with top and bottom laterally directed flanges 75 and 76 which in this instance are directed rearwardly of such member. The bottom such flange 76 is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures which are adapted to be aligned with apertures formed in the top section 24 of the base 10 for receiving suitable fastening means for rigidly mounting the back panel. As perhaps best seen in FIG. 4, when the back panel 72 is mounted, the main section 73 thereof is spaced substantially from the back liner section 45, with such space openly communicating with the group of vent holes 35 formed in the top section 24 of the base 10. The top flange 75 of the back member 72 is similarly provided with a plurality of spaced apertures for mounting a burner box generally indicated at 77.

The flared sides 74 of the back member 72 terminate in laterally directed flanges commonly designated at 78 which extend generally parallel to the main section 73 of the back member, the flanges 78 being at the same time generally aligned front to rear with the rearwardly directed flanges 51 of the side liner members 41 and 42. Each flange 78 is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced openings commonly designated at 79 which are adapted to be aligned with openings commonly designated at 80 formed in a rear flange 81 of each side panel 11. As seen in the rightmost panel 11 in FIG. 5, the main section 82 of each panel 11 is bent at the front thereof to form a front flange 83 which in turn is rearwardly bent to form a flange 84 generally parallel to the main section 82 and spaced therefrom. The flange 84 at the free edge thereof is formed with vertically spaced slots 85 which are adapted to receive studs or pins 86 mounted on and extending outwardly from the flanges 51 of the respective side liner members 41 and 42, with only the pins associated with the side liner 41 being visible in FIG. 5. Each of the side panels 11 is also provided with top and bottom inwardly directed flanges 87 and 88, with the latter contacting the base and being provided with suitable openings for mounting thereto.

To mount each of the side panels 11 the same are simply vertically positioned on the base 10 and moved rearwardly until the pins or studs 86 are received in the several slots 85, with the respective panels when the pins are bottomed in such slots being positioned so that the rear flanges 81 thereof are disposed closely adjacent the flanges 78 of the back member 72, with the respective openings 79 and 80 in these members being aligned to receive suitable fastening members for releasably retaining the side panels 11 in place. The bottom flanges 88 of the side panels can then be fastened to the base 10 for rigid interconnection thereto. The main sections 82 of the respective side panels 11 and back member 72 thus effectively provide a shell or framed enclosure for the liner assembly 40, with both the latter and this part of the shell being rigidly and independently mounted on the base 10 and laterally spaced from each other thus to define insulation-receiving void areas.

The shell enclosing the liner assembly further includes a burner box 77 which is supported front and rear by the vertically coextensive top flange of the back panel 72 and the front flange 56 of the liner member 43. The bottom of the burner box is thus appreciably spaced from the top liner section 44 and defines therewith an insulation-receiving void space.

The burner box 77, which can be mounted on the flanges 56 and 75 in any suitable manner, comprises a bottom 90,

vertically extending sides 91 and 92, and a vertically extending back 93. The sides 91 and 92 are provided with inwardly directed top flanges 94 and 95 which support the cook top 12, and are downwardly tapered at their front ends and formed with inturned flanges 98 and 99 which support the opposite ends of the control panel assembly 15, as will be hereinafter described. The sides 91 and 92 of the burner box are provided with vent openings commonly designated at 101 through which cooling air can pass inwardly of the burner box. The burner box 77 functions in the normal manner to provide a suitable space beneath the cook top 12 for accommodating the wiring and other control equipment for the surface and oven heating elements, as well as providing a recess for the drip pans provided with each surface burner.

The cook top 12, which forms part of the outer shell enclosing the liner assembly 40, can be of known construction and is provided in the form shown with a plurality of openings commonly designated at 102 each of which is adapted to receive a surface element assembly collectively designated at 103. The cook top 12 can be removably mounted in any manner for convenient and ready lifting of the same for purposes of repair and the like.

The backguar-d 13 previously generally described similarly can be of conventional construction and forms no part of the present invention. The background can be mounted on the back member 72 in any suitable manner.

The bottom of the oven cavity 17 is defined by an oven bottom member provided with downwardly turned flanges 111 at opposite sides thereof. The flanges, only one of which is visible in FIG. 5, are disposed contiguous the side liners 41 and 42 and are mounted thereto in any suitable manner. The main oven heating element 18 is mounted on the back liner section 45 by means of brackets 112, FIG. 3, which are fastened on the back section by screws or the like commonly designated at 113. A series of spacers 114 are carried by the element 18 on the underside thereof for spacing the same from the bottom member 110.

A broil element 115 is supported adjacent its front portion in the oven cavity slightly below the top thereof by a bracket 116 which contacts the top liner section 44 and is secured thereto by means of fasteners 117 or the like, FIG. 3. The terminal ends of the broil element 115 extend through openings provided therefor in a generally L-shaped bracket 118 mounted on the back liner section 45, with the terminal ends also extending through openings formed in the main section 73 of the back panel 72 for suitable connection to electrical wiring W, FIG. 4. The terminal ends of the main oven heating element 18 similarly extend through openings formed in the brackets 112 and 113 and through the back panel 72 for suitable location within the oven cavity for thermostatically controlling the temperatures within the oven cavity.

As previously described, rack glides 21 are mounted at opposite sides of the oven cavity and support the rack 22. In the form shown, the bottom 120 of each vertical leg of each rack glide 21 is laterally offset and downwardly turned for reception in openings provided therefor in the oven bottom member 110. The tops of the vertical leg members of each rack glide 21 extend upwardly through openings therefor in the top liner section 44. In this manner the rack glides can be quickly and easily installed or removed from the oven for cleaning purposes.

The oven bottom member 110 effectively vertically separates the operational space interiorly of the liner assembly 40 into the oven cavity section 17 and a lower utility compartment 130. As perhaps best shown in the exploded FIG. 5 view, guide members 131 and 132 are mounted on the top 24 of the base 10 for slidably receiving the utility drawer 19. Neither the guide members nor the utility door construction and mounting form any part of the present invention and a further, more detailed description is accordingly not believed necessary.

The control panel assembly 15 comprises a panel member 133 suitably apertured for receiving the control knobs 16 and clock assembly and a panel support member 134. The latter can be seen in cross-section in FIG. 4 and is formed with a rearwardly directed continuous flange 135 adapted to overlie the top flange 56 of the top liner section 44. The flange 56 is dimpled as commonly designated at 136, FIG. 5, for supporting the flange 135 and spacing the same from the plane of the flange 56. The flange 135 is provided with a plurality of openings adapted to be aligned with the openings in the dimpled sections 136 for mounting the support member. It will thus be seen that the support member is relatively isolated from the plane of the top flange 56, contacting the flange at only the noted dimpled areas, thereby to substantially lessen the conductive heat passing from the oven cavity through the top liner section to the control panel member 133.

The upper portion of the support member 134 is formed with a groove 137 for receiving the bottom portion 138 of the control panel member 133, and the front of the support member 134 is formed with a channel 139 for receiving a trim strip 140. The top of the control member 133 is generally L-shaped, terminating in a vertical end portion 141, with such L-shaped end serving as a support for the front of the cook top 12. The panel member 133 is formed at the opposite sides thereof with rearwardly extending flanges 142 formed with recesses 143 relatively adjacent the top thereof. Such recesses are adapted to be aligned with openings 144 formed in the burner box and openings 145 formed adjacent the top of the flanges 84 of the side panels 11, FIG. 5, with such aligned openings receiving suitable fastening means (not shown) for mounting the panel member 133.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, suitable insulation 146 which can comprise, for example, Fiberglas, is disposed in the void areas surrounding the several liner members. The insulation 146 at the sides and top of the liner memhers is compressed by wire netting or the like 147 to provide passages for unrestricted air flow between the liner and the shell for more effective dissipation of the oven heat and cooling of the shell surrounding the liner assembly. The wire netting 147 is preferably of single-piece construction and of somewhat greater width than the frontto-rear dimension of the side liners 41, 42 and the top liner section 44 of the liner assembly. The netting is fastened at one end to either of the side liners 41, 42 by attachment over the detents 67. The netting is then wrapped upwardly over the top liner section 44 and downwardly over the other side liner section and hooked over the detents 67. The netting 147 can be drawn up or tightened to the extent desired to compress the insulation to provide the desired ambient air passages.

The insulation 146 between the back section 44 of the liner assembly and the back panel 72 is compressed by virtue of the relatively narrower area in which it is disposed, but in the form shown wire netting is not provided in such area for further compression of the insulation to provide unrestricted flow paths, The insulation in this area can be retained in any suitable manner.

It will thus be seen that ambient air entering the vent or air wash openings 33 and 34 formed in the top 24 of the base travels upwardly through the noted unrestricted areas for dissipating heat and maintaining the exterior walls relatively cool. The vent openings 101 formed in the opposite sides 91 and 92 of the burner box 77 permit the ambient air to flow inwardly of the burner box and upwardly out of the range through the openings 102 formed in the cook top 12.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described insulating technique is advantageous for several reasons, when compared with present range constructions and insulating methods. The arrangement is highly economical and the degree of compression of the insulation can be easily controlled when wrapping the wire netting 147 to provide the desired unrestricted areas for cooling ambient air flow.

The present invention also provides means for directing cooling air against the inner face of the control panel member 133 thereby to maintain the same at temperatures comfortable to the touch and well within desired ranges. A generally U-shaped channel member 150 is mounted rearwardly of the pack panel 72 with the U- shaped member being provided with laterally directed, apertured flanges 151 and 152 at the top thereof by means of which the channel member can be mounted on complemental mating flanges formed on the back wall 93 of the burner box. The bottom of the channel member 150 is mounted by means of fasteners 153, FIG. 4, which pass through aligned openings formed in the channel member and an upwardly turned section 154 of a bracket 155 mounted on the back panel 72. The bracket 155 is suitably apertured in the horizontal portion thereof for receiving the wires W. The bottom 156 of the channel member 150, again referring to FIG. 4, terminates slightly above the base 10 for accommodating passage of a conventional plug 157. The top of the channel member 150 terminates generally vertically coextensive with the top of the burner box directly below the backguard 13. When mounted, the channel member 150 thus defines with the back member 72 a rectangular passageway.

The channel member 150 is formed in the rear wall 158 thereof with a plurality of top and bottom louver type openings 159 and 160 for the purpose of admitting ambient air inwardly of the channel member 150. The upper end of the channel member 150 is closed by means of a cover plate 161, with the area just beneath such cover plate communicating with the rear open end of a channel assembly generally indicated at 162. The assembly 162 comprises a U-shaped Wire-receiving channel member 163 and a channel cover 164 adapted to fit over and thus close the open upper side of the channel 163. The bottom connecting wall 165 of the channel member 163 is formed at its rear end with a downwardly turned flange 166 which is adapted to abut the bottom edge 167 of a generally rectangular opening 168 formed in the rear wall 93 of the burner box. The channel member 163 is formed adjacent its forward end with a similar downwardly turned fia'nge 170 which is adapted to engage the bottom 90 of the burner box 77 for support of the channel member at the forward end thereof and for spacing the same from the bottom of the burner box. Ambient air entering the interior of the channel member 150 is thus directed through the channel assembly 162 to a point relatively adjacent the control panel member 133. The channel as,- sembly 162 additionally functions to house and thus desirably confine the electrical wiring W extending from the various control components to the rear of the range.

Switch cover members and 181 extend to either side of the channel assembly 162 and serve the dual function of enclosing the switch boxes commonly designated at 182 and serving as air conduits through which air emanating from the forward end of the channel assembly 162 can pass laterally for cooling the control components as well as the control panel member 133 its-elf. The crosssectional shape of each of the covers 180 and 181 is identical and, referring to FIG. 4, each member includes a flat base portion 183 supported by the burner box bottom, an intermediate, vertical portion 184 and a top upwardly inclined portion 185. The latter such section is generally complemental in angulartiy with the bottom edge of forward projections commonly designated at 186 formed in the channel member 163 of the channel assembly. The top inclined section 185 of each cover member is provided at opposite sides with apertured tabs commonly designated at 187 which are adapted to receive suitable fastener means (not shown) which can respectively securely engage the projections 186 of the channel member 163 and the opposite sides 91 and 92 of the burner box for securing the cover members 180 and 181 in place. As seen in FIG. 4, the forward edge of the inclined portions 185 of the cover members closely abuts the control panel member 133 thereby to define therewith a relatively enclosed passageway. The cooling air entering the channel member 150 and passing through the channel assembly 162 is thereby directed to the entire area, relatively confined, immediately behind the control panel member thereby serving to cool the same and the electrical components mounted therein. Such cooling air passes outwardly of the control panel through the openings in which the various control knobs and clock are mounted. The resultant convective cooling of the control panel member 133 is augmented by the dissipation of conductive heat through the relatively isolated mounting of the control panel support member 134 as above described.

It will thus be seen that the present invention is structurally unique and possesses distinct advantages over present ranges of this general type. The entire load is supported by the base which forms with the liner assembly an operational space-defining core assembly. The shell surrounds the liner assembly in spaced relation so as to define therewith insulating voids, with the side and back exterior panels being independently mounted on the base for rigid assembly. The insulating voids, at least in the area at the sides and top of the liner, receive insulation partially compressed to form unrestricted cooling air paths in such areas for more effective heat dissipation. The control panel assembly is uniquely mounted to reduce heat conductivity thereto and, in addition, ambient air is directed over the control panel from the interior of the range to even further reduce the surface temperature of the control anel.

p Although in the form shown the range is provided with electric oven and surface heating elements, it will be understood and apparent from the above description that the disclosed range construction is adaptable, with obvious modification, to gas operation. Such modification would include the provision of a lower broil compartment below the main oven compartment with a sing-1e gas burner intermediately disposed servicing both such compartments in a known manner. The utility drawer, in modification to gas operation, would be replaced by a slide-out broiler drawer and tray in conventional arrangement.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

,I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. Range construction comprising a generally rectangular base having floor-engaging portions and a platform top spaced above the floor, an oven liner assembly including side, rear and top walls forming an open front cooking cavity, with the side and rear liner walls attached at their bottom edges to the base top respectively inwardly of corresponding side and rear edges of the same, an exterior side panel attached to the base in outward spaced relation to each side liner wall, an exterior back panel attached to the base outwardly of the rear liner wall and to the rear edge portions of the exterior side panels, and a cook top including a box to house surface heating units extending between and attached to the top of said rear panel and the top front of the liner assembly.

2. Range construction as set forth in claim 1, wherein thermal insulation is applied exteriorly to the side liner walls without filling the space between the same and the exterior side panels, thereby leaving unobstructed spaces outwardly of the insulation at both sides.

3. Range construction as set forth in claim 2, wherein the unobstructed spaces between the thermal insulation and the exterior side panels are provided with air flow openings in the lower and upper portions thereof for ambient air circulation through the same.

4. Range construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein communication is provided between the upper portions of said unobstructed side spaces and the interior of the cook top box for circulation of the air through the latter.

5. Range construction as set forth in claim 4, wherein the cook top has a control section and includes means for circulating ambient air against the same.

'6. Range construction as set forth in claim 5, wherein the means for circulating ambient air against the control section includes a flue in heat exchange relation to the oven and duct means extending from the flue to the region of the control section.

7. Range construction as set forth in claim 6, wherein the control sect-ion includes electric wires extending therefrom through the box within said duct means.

8. Range construction as set forth in claim 4, wherein the cook top further comprises an apertured cover and electric surface heating units at the apertures in the same, said electric units being sufficiently open to permit the ambient air entering the cook top box from the oven side spaces to exit through the same.

9. Range construction as set forth in claim 8, further including an electric oven heating means located with-in the liner assembly for heating the cooking cavity, controls for the surface heating units and the oven heating means located in a control section at the front of the cook top, electric wires for said controls extending from said section through the box enclosed within a conduit, and means for circulating air through said conduit for cooling effect on the controls.

10. Range construction as set forth in claim 1, wherein forward edge portions of the exterior side panels and the side liner walls have interengaging pins and slots to assist in the assembly thereof.

1-1. Range construction as set forth in claim 1, wherein thermal insulation is applied between the side liner wall and exterior panel at each side only partially filling the space therebetween, and the insulation is held by wire net against the side liner walls.

12. Range construction comprising a freestanding enclosure, an oven within said enclosure and having a door at the front, a burner box at the top of the enclosure adapted to contain plural surface heating units, a control section at a front portion of the box generally above the oven door, said control section including an electrically energized device from which wires extend, a first duct leading from the area of the control section to a remote part of the box and enclosing said wires, and induction duct means associated with the oven and communicating with the first duct for circulating ambient air therethrough and to the control section for cooling the latter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,158,881 5/1939 McCormick 12621 X 2,393,879 1/1946 Barnsteiner 312214 X 2,485,359 10/1949 Cook et a1 l2621 X 2,569,775 10/1951 Pearce 219-392 2,839,044 6/1958 Phares 126-19 X 3,033,188 5/1962. Cline et a1. 126-49 3,121,158 2/1964- Hurko 12619 X 3,257,543 6/1966 Regan et al. 2l9392 3,327,094 6/1967 Martin et a1 219-693 RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner. C. ALBRITTON, Assistant Examiner. 

